State Ex Rel. State Highway Department v. First National Bank

572 P.2d 1248, 91 N.M. 240
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 14, 1977
Docket11212
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 572 P.2d 1248 (State Ex Rel. State Highway Department v. First National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. State Highway Department v. First National Bank, 572 P.2d 1248, 91 N.M. 240 (N.M. 1977).

Opinion

OPINION

McMANUS, Chief Justice.

This is a condemnation proceeding originally filed in Bernalillo County on February 25, 1972. In the first trial the jury returned a verdict for the landowner, Kistler-Collister, in the amount of $250,000. The State appealed the verdict and award in State ex rel. Hwy. Dept. v. Kistler-Collister Co., Inc., 88 N.M. 221, 539 P.2d 611 (1975). We reversed the judgment therein and remanded for a new trial consistent with our decision.

In this the second trial, the jury again returned a verdict for Kistler-Collister, this time in the amount of $21,000 more than in the first trial, or $271,000. The Highway Department again appeals the jury verdict and award.

The appellant asserts seven points of error.

I. The appellant contends that the trial court abused its discretion by denying the State’s motion for discovery of Kistler-Collister’s business records. The State sought these records pursuant to New Mexico’s rules for discovery set out in Rule 34 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, N.M.R.Civ.P. 34 [§ 21-1-1, N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl.1970)] and Rule 33, N.M.R.Civ.P. 33 [§ 21-1-1, N.M.S. A.1953 (Repl.1970)] governing interrogatories.

The discretion to allow compulsory production under both of the rules cited above vests with the trial court. The record reveals that the trial judge heard the Rule 34 and 33 motions and denied them. Prior to the trial and regarding these records, the court ordered:

You have them available at trial time in case you use them so that at that time you can hand the State a copy of them.

The defendant did not use the records at any time during the course of the trial, and the State did not at any time ask for such information during the trial.

The discretion of the trial court in denying discovery is not to be interfered with in absence of clear abuse. Francisco v. Travelers Insurance Company, 363 F.2d 1019 (8th Cir. 1966). Furthermore, even if we believed the trial court to have erred, which we do not, the error must have been so substantial and prejudicial as to constitute reversible error. Rubalcava v. Garst, 61 N.M. 10, 293 P.2d 656 (1956). A review of the record fails to show any abuse of discretion by the trial court.

II. As a second point of error the State claims that the trial court’s ruling, barring the State’s chief appraisal witness’ partner from the courtroom, was an abuse of discretion. “The rule” is codified as New Mexico Rule of Evidence 615 [§ 20-4-615, N.M.S.A.1953 (Supp.1977)]. This rule requires that a trial judge “shall” order “witnesses” excluded at the request of a party. Decisions in this state interpret this rule to give the trial court broad discretion in its application. 1

This Court has said that absent a showing of clear abuse of discretion and prejudice, the trial court’s decision will not be disturbed. State v. Romero, 69 N.M. 187, 365 P.2d 58 (1961) (rehearing denied 1961). Sweitzer v. Sanchez, 80 N.M. 408, 456 P.2d 882 (1969). The record shows that the trial court heard arguments on the issue, and found that the relationship between the State’s appraisal witness and his business partner was sufficiently close to require that the partner be excluded. That decision was proper and within the trial court’s discretion.

III. The appellant asserts that it was error for the trial court to admit photographs, offered for the limited purpose to show the affected parking area but which also depicted road construction in one margin. On objection the trial court accepted the photographs for the limited purpose, and granted the appellant the opportunity to offer limiting instructions to the jury; the appellant failed to tender the instructions.

On the original appeal we held that damages for lost business income due to the road construction were improper. State ex rel. Hwy. Dept. v. Kistler-Collister Co., Inc., supra, 88 N.M. at 226, 539 P.2d at 616 (1975). It is upon this theory that the appellant urges error by allowing the road construction to be seen by the jury.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, discussing the use of photographs, has held, in a case cited by appellee for other authority, that a trial court has necessarily broad discretion “ . . . and unless there has been abuse of that discretion . . .the matter will not be reviewed . . . .” Commerce Ins. Co. v. Badger Paint & H. Stores, 265 Wis. 174, 176, 60 N.W.2d 742, 747 (1953).

The trial court specifically called for limiting instructions to the jury regarding the use of photographs. Although general limiting instructions were tendered, accepted and read by the court to the jury, no specific instructions on road construction in the exhibits were tendered by the appellant. The burden of tender of instructions rests with the parties under N.M.R.Civ.P. 51 [§ 21-1-1, N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl.1970)]. In re Will of Callaway, 84 N.M. 125, 500 P.2d 410 (1972) (rehearing denied 1972).

IV. The appellant asserts the trial court erred in withholding rebuttal evidence to exhibits offered by the appellee.

The appellant, out of the presence of the jury made a tender of proof which the court accepted. During the trial the evidence offered was objected to and found by the court to contain elements not previously considered in the original tender. The court heard arguments, and then ruled that the additional evidence was unacceptable because inaccurate. The court held that the inaccuracy was so substantial as to cause confusion and possible prejudice to the appellee, and on that finding excluded the evidence. Neither party presents any law, other than from the original case, to support their positions. This Court has held directly and indirectly that the determination of relevancy, competency, materiality, and admission are at the discretion of the trial court. Martin v. New York Life Insurance Co., 30 N.M. 400, 234 P. 673 (on rehearing, 1925). A tender may contain one or all elements of admissibility and still be inadmissible for cause. Chiordi v. Jernigan, 46 N.M. 396, 129 P.2d 640 (1942). The testimony of an expert witness and his documentary evidence are admissible at the discretion of the trial court, and that discretion will not be disturbed unless manifestly wrong. Jaramillo v. Anaconda Co., 71 N.M. 161, 376 P.2d 954 (1962); Winder v. Martinez, 88 N.M. 622, 545 P.2d 88 (Ct.App. 1975).

V.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Hernandez
846 P.2d 312 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1993)
State v. Trevino
833 P.2d 1170 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1991)
People v. Young
175 Cal. App. 3d 537 (California Court of Appeal, 1985)
State, Dept. of Transp. & Develop. v. Stumpf
458 So. 2d 448 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1984)
C & H Construction & Paving Co. v. Citizens Bank
597 P.2d 1190 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
572 P.2d 1248, 91 N.M. 240, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-state-highway-department-v-first-national-bank-nm-1977.